Although our dogs are our best friends, it’s easy to get upset with them when they are destructive. You may be thinking you don’t have a choice but to just deal with the destruction, but this is a lie! Your dog’s destruction from chewing can be fixed, but it’ll take dedication, work, patience and love. But first, there are a few questions you need to answer before you can learn how to prevent your dog from destruction.

Why is your dog destructive?

Just like humans, dogs have a multitude of feelings. They will get lonely; they will feel separation anxiety; and, they will become bored. We all know these feelings, and we all, including dogs, replace the feelings we’re experiencing with something else; for dogs, it’s chewing. Why do dogs destroy and chew on nearly anything they can lay their paws on? Our veterinarian’s answer: Separation anxiety, fabric sucking, hunger and teething.

How can you prevent your dog from destroying your home while you’re away?

Some dogs are easy to entertain, and others will take a lot of work. In a few of our previous blog posts, we started giving readers some tips on how to prevent their dog from destroying their home, some of these preventions included: Dog-proofing your house, buying new toys and using chewing deterrents. However, there will be times you won’t know where to look next to stop your dog’s destruction. Here are some more tips:

Gentle, Humane Manner To Implement Appropriate Chewing Toys

Supervise Them

Providing your dog with proper supervision will allow you to enforce appropriate chewing behavior. When your dog is chewing on an item they shouldn’t, it’s imperative to let your dog know they are chewing on something that’s not part of their toy collection. How do you enforce this without being mean? Gently remove the toy from your dog’s mouth and tell them “no” or say “uh oh.” Instead of leaving them without something to chew, replace what they were chewing on with a proper chew toy, such as a bone, a stuffed animal or a puzzle toy. Make sure you don’t forget to praise them immediately after placing the chew toy in their mouth.

Promote Physical Activity

A dog that is given proper physical exercise and activity will be less likely to cause destruction. Playtime, whether it’s with you or other dogs, will grant them stimulation they need, both physically and mentally. If you are someone who works eight hours a day and you won’t be home to play with your dog, think about hiring a dog walker to give your pup some exercise, purchasing a tennis ball thrower to keep your dog occupied and busy or choose to drop your dog off at a local doggy daycare. Whatever or however you achieve this, it’s crucial your dog is being given physical activity for their emotional and physical well-being.

If you’re wondering what other types of preventions our veterinarian in Fort Collins recommends, we encourage you to stay tuned for our next blog. In our future blog, we’ll be providing readers who own destructive dogs the information they need to help define the difference between chew toys and objects they shouldn’t be chewing. Stay tuned for: Help Dissolve Your Dog’s Destruction.